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The Edmonton Oilers locked up Leon Draisaitl on Tuesday, signing the 28-year-old center to an eight-year, $112 million contract that begins next season.

“Draisaitl expressed his desire to remain an Oiler for his entire career.

Now the Oilers must do the same with Connor McDavid and surround the duo with a supporting cast strong enough to win the Stanley Cup, but those are good problems to have.

“Leon is a unique player,” stated General Manager Stan Bowman. “There are scant few individuals worldwide who can match his hockey skills. Replacing Leon’s contributions is impossible. He plays an integral role in our team, and this is something that will remain constant. For me, there was never any doubt about this.”

Surely, we will face challenges in the future, but it’s our responsibility to solve them in due course.

Draisaitl is about to begin the last season of his eight-year, $68 million contract ($8.5 million average yearly worth) that he inked with the Oilers on August 16, 2017. After the season, he had the potential to become an unrestricted free agent and seek an amount exceeding the average yearly value of $14 million he was paid. He also had the option to attempt to step out from under McDavid’s shadow.

The Oilers have managed to avoid any distractions this season by securing Draisaitl before the onset of the training camp. This move also serves as a signal to McDavid, who still has two seasons remaining from the eight-year contract, worth $100 million ($12.5 million AAV), he signed with the Oilers on July 5, 2017. The 27-year-old center will be eligible for another contract signing come July 1.

Bowman said, “We are determined to win and will utilize all our resources to achieve this. Hopefully, this is something that Connor would be pleased to hear.”

The Oilers need to prioritize maintaining the partnership of Draisaitl and McDavid, despite it consuming a substantial part of the NHL salary cap.

In the 2014 NHL Draft, Edmonton picked Draisaitl as the No. 3 selection and followed it up with McDavid as the No. 1 pick in 2015. In the 2019-20 season, Draisaitl secured the Art Ross Trophy for being the NHL scoring champion and the Hart Trophy, indicating he was voted the League’s most valuable player. On the other hand, McDavid has bagged the Art Ross five times and the Hart three times. He also won the Rocket Richard Trophy as the NHL’s top goal scorer and the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Draisaitl has ranked second in the NHL with 643 points since 2018-19, trailing only McDavid with 726 points. Additionally, among players who have played at least 74 games, Draisaitl’s 1.46 points per game in the playoffs put him fourth in NHL history, behind Gretzky (1.84), Lemieux (1.61), and McDavid (1.58).

Draisaitl mentioned that he and McDavid have discussed the situation numerous times.

“Draisaitl commented, “Connor will make the decision that benefits him, right? That’s how it’s meant to be. I made the decision that I believed was best for me. Do I wish for Connor to follow my path? It wouldn’t be truthful to say no. I definitely want him to stay with us. I want all our team members to remain together.”

In reality, it is virtually impossible for all the pieces to remain on board under the cap. Draisaitl and McDavid are all too familiar with the feeling of not having sufficient support. In their initial six seasons together, they only managed to win one playoff series.

When asked about finding a balance between their market value and leaving enough cap room for the Oilers to succeed, Draisaitl acknowledged the delicate balance he and McDavid must navigate.

“Draisaitl expressed his understanding that it is impossible to win in this league with two-, three-, four-man rosters. He acknowledged the high level of competition in the league, which makes such wins unattainable. He expressed relief that it’s all over and he can now concentrate on improving his game. His focus is to play his best hockey, particularly when it is most crucial,” he said.

The Oilers managed to reach the Western Conference Final in the 2021-22 season and even advanced to the seventh game of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers the previous season. Draisaitl discussed the team’s achievements, highlighting their contention for the Cup during games and their off-ice bond.

“Draisaitl expressed, “I’ve always been loyal to the Oilers. We clearly haven’t achieved our goal yet, which in my opinion, makes our journey even more special. We’re all working towards the same objective. I’m thrilled to be a part of this team and eager to continue contributing towards our ultimate goal, which is well-known to all of us.”

The responsibility of signing McDavid and finding complementary players each season, including up-and-coming young players and veterans on inexpensive contracts, lies with management.

Bowman stated, “The math remains constant, hence each year, you need to incorporate players with low prices into your team.”

Draisaitl has the responsibility to meet the expectations of this contract. However, this is another positive challenge to have.

“He admitted, “There’s pressure. However, I’m going to earn a substantial amount of money to manage those moments.”